Conveyor belt systems are used to transport packages from one location to another. When a belt is damaged, the system may be rendered unusable until a replacement belt is installed. In addition, typical conveyor belt systems only move packages at one speed, in one direction and to one destination.
Air tables assist in moving packages by generating pressure at the table's surface that suspends the packages above the surface. While air tables are capable of lifting and moving packages, these tables cannot transport multiple packages at different speeds and directions. Additionally, air tables waste power by maintaining pressure over portions of the table that are not used to lift or move packages.
Commercial conveyor systems have attempted to overcome the limitations of conveyer belts and air tables. Such systems are expensive to build, run and maintain. Furthermore, even trivial changes to the layout may require extensive design and fabrication.